how to cook a soft boiled egg?

The perfect soft-boiled egg should have firm, custard-like whites and a warm, runny yolk — this is what my host mother taught me when I lived with her family in France for a summer in high school, and it's still the standard to which I hold my soft-boiled eggs today. An egg like this is just right for scooping daintily from the shell and eating with buttered toast soldiers, an experience that always feels simultaneously sophisticated and happily childlike to me.

Making soft-boiled eggs might feel slightly trickier than hard-boiled eggs, but it's nothing that can't be mastered in the space of a Saturday morning! Here's a step-by-step tutorial to teach you exactly what to do.

A good soft-boiled egg really comes down to timing. Bring the water up to a boil, then lower it to a rapid simmer. Add the eggs to the pot, and then begin timing. If you're just cooking one or two eggs, five minutes is perfect for a runny yolk, or cook as long as seven minutes for a more firmly set, but still spoonable, yolk. If you're cooking three or four eggs, add an extra few seconds to your timing. (More than four eggs, and I would recommend cooking in batches.)

Don't just glance at the clock to time your eggs — set a timer. Using a timer is the best way to get consistent results.

Soft-boiled eggs are their own little breakfast package. Nestle your egg in an egg cup, and then use the edge of a knife to gently tap the egg all the way around the top. If you have an egg-cutter, you can use that, too. Pull off the top and dig in.

You can use a spoon to scoop out the insides or dip your toast soldiers right into the yolk. Either way, eat the egg while it's still warm and runny!